Yonsei News

A staple in Korean cuisine, kimchi can be eaten as an accompaniment to almost any meal and is an important part of Korean culture. Most kimchi is made in mid-November during Gimjang, the traditional process of preparing and preserving large quantities of kimchi for the upcoming winter. During Gimjang season, families and neighbors gather to make and share kimchi - a delicious way of bringing communities together.

Yonsei University held a “Kimchi-making Day” volunteer event on November 26 to make and give kimchi to students and underprivileged groups of the local community.

Volunteers participating in "Kimchi-making Day" held at Yonsei University

Despite the chilly weather, the event attracted many volunteers including Yonsei University President Yong-Hak Kim and Yonsei International Campus Senior Vice President Kyung-tae Lee, as well as Seodaemun-gu district volunteers. Yonsei students, both domestic and international, also volunteered to share the joy of giving through kimchi-making.

Volunteers worked together throughout all steps of the kimchi-making process, from carrying the napa cabbages to stuffing its leaves with vegetables and seasonings. The group enjoyed the freshly-made kimchi with a side of bossam (boiled pork belly).

“Kimchi-making Day” took place in front of the Student Union Hall building was organized by Yonsei University Co-op in partnership with Samsung Welstory and Seodaemun-gu District Office. The prepared kimchi will be donated to underprivileged households as well as Yonsei students living off campus in the Seodaemun-gu area.

“With the help of Seodaemun-gu community, Yonsei University will donate 300 of the 600 heads of kimchi made today to underprivileged groups in the area. 120 heads will be distributed to Yonsei students living on their own off campus,” said Min-woo Kim, Director of Yonsei University Co-op.

“I wanted to experience the spirit of giving by participating in this meaningful event,” said Joo-hui Lee (entering class of ‘17, Atmospheric Sciences), President of the Student Council at the College of Science.

“I am here today as a Seodaemun-gu resident. I hope the kimchi we prepared today is enjoyed by our neighbors,” commented Sang-gun Oh, a volunteer who participated in the event with seven other residents from the Hongje 2-dong district.

Kimchi is a diverse food and can be eaten as a side dish with any Korean meal. It can also be used as a main ingredient for popular dishes such as kimchi jjigae (hot soup), fried rice, and savory pancakes. Delicious as well as nutritious, kimchi is made with fresh vegetables such as napa cabbages, white radishes and scallions, as well as fragrant spices including chili powder, garlic and fish sauce.

Kimchi fried rice

Kimchi pancake

So how do you make kimchi? The student-led English monthly The Yonsei Annals try their hand at making the traditional dish at Museum Kimchikan located in Seoul, Korea.